With all the manifestos out and the final big TV debate over, we’ve pulled out 5 key takeaways for the green built environment sector, with some help from members of our expert Policy and Public Affairs member Taskforce. For better or worse, here’s what we did (and didn’t) see. 

1. This is a cost of living, not a climate election

We’ve dubbed this the ‘built environment election’ because house building, and energy bills have had top billing – becoming a proxy for tackling the cost of living crisis. But sadly, despite the dire warnings from scientists, no one could call this a ‘climate election’. Even as the mercury rose this week with amber heat warnings, we’re missing a sense of urgency behind this election around the green agenda. This got off to a bad start with Rishi Sunak’ counterposing peoples’ wallets with ‘eco-zealots’ in his Downing Street general election announcement. Given the health, wellbeing and economic cost of inaction on climate and nature vastly outweighs the cost of action, the task for all parties is to put forward bold new ideas to make action affordable and attractive. 

We did see some positive ideas to protect communities in flood risk areas and through tree planting initiatives. But the next government will need a coherent strategy with prime ministerial leadership over climate resilience, which is urgently needed.  

Maria Tjader, Schneider Electric comments:

Labour and Conservative manifestos fail to address the importance of building decarbonisation specifically in order for the UK to reach net zero. Whilst it’s understandable that the political driver of the housing policies is to lower bills for households, it feels like a missed opportunity to not emphasise the importance of decarbonising buildings for climate and net zero reasons.” 

2. Planning reform is fashionable!

Planning reform has been promised time and again in this election campaign – seen as key to both solve the affordable homes crisis and drive growth. New developments must be well-connected, built to higher standards than the current draft Future Homes and Buildings Standard, and tackle embodied carbon emissions. Unsurprisingly, manifestos weren’t the place to set out the detail on what to expect, but we are somewhat reassured by a focus from all parties on starting with brownfield development and building ‘in the right places’. We’ll be continuing to argue that protecting climate and nature must be made a new predictable legal duty if every planning decision and every new development is to be part of the solution, not the problem. 

Alex Jahanshahi-Edlin, Associate Director, ESG – McBains comments: 

It is good to see [the Labour Party] give a keen focus on sustainability in the development process with a pledge to immediately update the NPPF.” 

3. Energy supply trumps demand reduction

The net zero pledges have focused on the energy system transition, with much less attention on reducing energy demand. Specific policies were missing on commercial buildings and embodied carbon – some of the largest sources of carbon emissions and high on UKGBC’s agenda. We hope to see more detail on both of these after polling day, and UKGBC will continue to argue that these should rise up the priority list of any incoming government.   

4. Investment, investment, investment:

With all parties wary of costs, the money put against action is often insufficient.  

With millions facing unaffordable energy bills from heating draughty, uninsulated homes, and climate-wrecking gas-heating wasted on a vast scale nationwide, ramping up efforts to upgrade the nation’s homes is now urgent. We saw encouraging pledges of new minimum energy performance standards and rights for renters and loans for those on the lowest incomes from some parties. But, apart from the Greens, the scale of money committed is far behind the minimum £64bn over 10 years our analysis shows is needed. We’ll be wanting to support the incoming government to develop comprehensive policies for home upgrades. 

Emma Lower, Lendology comments:

The manifestos from each Party have shown that there is a commitment to reducing carbon emissions, however what we haven’t seen yet is the full level of commitment, and their priorities. Current policies do not support homeowners to easily fund upgrades, and yet we could reduce costs by £60bn, which would have a very positive impact on the national grid. The ability to be able to provide a consistent long-term commitment to funding to support homeowner upgrades is essential if we want homeowners and more importantly the supply chain to invest in this area.” 

5. High streets are still left behind

The problem of vacant high street units and businesses are a problem for every constituency. The opportunity to fix this through retrofit and energy efficiency improvements of commercial and public buildings has been largely overlooked in the manifestos and in the debates. Reforming business rates and leases, alongside support for small businesses, can improve energy efficiency, making buildings healthy and enjoyable and local neighbourhoods more attractive. 

General Reflections

Having read hundreds of pages of manifestos and watched countless hours of TV debates, we’re struck by how central new developments and energy bills have been to this general election (notwithstanding the usual personality politics and scandals). That suggests a potentially huge opening for the green built environment sector, whoever wins the election. We know that upgrading and greening the places we live work and play will be mission critical to tackling the big crises facing the country – from soaring energy, housing and health costs, to left behind and vulnerable communities, and climate and nature breakdown. And as a sector, we have the big policy ideas, the experience and expertise to help drive change at scale and pace. But that will require us all to step up our collaboration and leadership. I hope you’ll join with us for the ride! 

Alex Jahanshahi-Edlin, Associate Director, ESG – McBains: 

Ultimately, we hope that whoever forms the next government is able to engage with and collaborate with the built environment and construction sector to ensure that any related policies are practical and achievable.” 

Read UKGBC’s analysis of the Manifestos here and learn more about our approach to the General Election here.

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